1 . When places are well-known and popular— historical and modern alike— we might take it for granted that they’ll be around forever. But sadly, many of the world’s best known and culturally significant landmarks are in trouble.

This mountain, one of the Seven Summits, proves that even giants can fall to climate change due to the vast amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While the mountain itself, located in Tanzania, isn’t in danger at present, its iconic snow cap might disappear—and shockingly soon. Research found that the snow cap had lost 85% of the total area of its ice fields between 1912 and 2007, and the remaining ice could be history as early as 2030.

Located in southern Peru, Machu Picchu is the remains of a huge stone castle that was built during the 15th century. These unbelievable Incan ruins are widely considered one of the must-see spots in South America. However, the site has been a victim of over-tourism, seeing the harmful effects of the crowds it gets as they wear down the structures. In addition, the area surrounding Machu Picchu has seen rapid development of the cities, as well as mudslides and fires, in recent years, leading UNESCO to work for its protection.

This stunning Floridian wildlife reserve has sadly found itself fighting for its life in recent years. As ‘the largest subtropical wilderness reserve’ in North America, according to UNESCO, it’s been a beloved travel destination for American citizens for decades, but the damage of time and human activity have not been kind to it. Its survival first came into question after it was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1993. But it’s human influence that has become the primary threat, as water flow to the site has decreased and the impacts of pollution have increased, resulting in harmful algal blooms (赤潮). Its vast, diverse wildlife is more threatened than ever before.

The local government of Zibo issued two open letters to all citizens. The government extended its gratitude for the citizens’     1     (warm) and hospitality toward visitors coming to enjoy the city’s signature barbecue,     2     has recently become a hit across the country.

Since early March, Zibo local barbecue     3     (cause) a sensation online. But how did Zibo rise to fame? From July 2022 to February 2023, Zibo organized many trips to the city for university students. Despite reaching peak visitation numbers, there was no sense of panic. Instead, several supportive     4     (policy) were promptly introduced, such as establishing a “Golden Stove Award”, forming a barbecue association, creating a map of Zibo barbecue restaurants,     5     launching 21 dedicated tourist routes that go beyond just barbecue.

Zibo’s sudden boom in popularity also resulted     6     the post-pandemic tourism revival China has experienced. The city aims to restore     7     (it) tourism industry and ensure sustainable growth.     8     (achieve) this goal, it has created     9     welcoming environment with convenient services for young people, particularly university students. The city has also invited students from distinguished universities to visit Zibo for free,     10     (signal) its eagerness to attract talented young individuals.

3 . Where to Eat in Bangkok

Bangkok is a highly desirable destination for food lovers. It has a seemingly bottomless well of dining options. Here are some suggestions on where to start your Bangkok eating adventure.

Offering Thai fine dining. Nahm provides the best of Bangkok culinary (烹饪的) experiences. It’s the only Thai restaurant that ranks among the top 10 of the world’s 50 best restaurants list. Head Chef David Thompson, who received a Michelin star for his London-based Thai restaurant of the same name, opened this branch in the Metropolitan Hotel in 2010.

Issaya Siamese Club is internationally known Thai chef Ian Kittichai’s first flagship Bangkok restaurant. The menu in this beautiful colonial house includes traditional Thai cuisine combined with modern cooking methods.

Bo.lan has been making waves in Bangkok’s culinary scene since it opened in 2009. Serving hard-to-find Thai dishes in an elegant atmosphere, the restaurant is true to Thai cuisine’s roots, yet still manages to add a special twist. This place is good for a candle-lit dinner or a work meeting with colleagues who appreciate fine food. For those extremely hungry, there’s a large set menu.

Earning first place on the latest “Asia’s 50 best restaurants” list, progressive Indian restaurant Gaggan is one of the most exciting venues (场所) to arrive in Bangkok in recent years. The best table in this two-story colonial Thai home offers a window right into the kitchen, where you can see chef Gaggan and his staff in action. Culinary theater at its best.

4 . Bike Rental & Guided Tours

Welcome to Amsterdam, welcome to MacBike. You see much more from the seat of a bike! Cycling is the most economical, sustainable and fun way to explore the city, with its beautiful canals, parks, squares and countless lights. You can also bike along lovely landscapes outside of Amsterdam.

Why MacBike

MacBike has been around for almost 30 years and is the biggest bicycle rental company in Amsterdam. With over 2,500 bikes stored in our five rental shops at strategic locations, we make sure there is always a bike available for you. We offer the newest bicycles in a wide variety, including basic bikes with foot brake (刹车), bikes with hand brake and gears (排挡), bikes with child seats, and children’s bikes.

Prices

Guided City Tours

The 2.5-hour tour covers the Gooyer Windmill, the Skinny Bridge, the Rijksmuseum, Heineken Brewery and much more. The tour departs from Dam Square every hour on the hour, starting at 1:00 pm every day. You can buy your ticket in a MacBike shop or book online.

7 . The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, completed in 1436, is the most important landmark in Florence, Italy, and the fourth largest church in the world.

The most famous part of the church is the dome (穹顶). It was created by the genius of the Renaissance (文艺复兴), Filippo Brunelleschi, who showed a great mastery of technical knowledge. Interestingly, Brunelleschi had been a trained goldsmith (金匠) and had never built anything in his life before building the masterpiece. This may sound crazy, but in many ways we look at the relation between Brunelleschi and the church, it seemed that he was “the chosen one” to complete the construction.

When he was born in 1377, the church had been under construction for 80 years with no solution to the dome-shaped roof. The building of the church had grown so larger and grander than the original plans that no one had any idea how it would or could be done. In 1418 a public competition was announced for the construction of the dome. Of course, there was the possibility of building the dome with a wooden structure to support it, but that would end up being costly requiring over 400 trees, lots of manpower and time. When Brunelleschi entered the competition, he was the only one with an idea that did not use wood, which caught the attention of the judges. Brunelleschi did many mathematical calculations and invented a lot of new tools and machines for the project, which was started two years after he won the competition. He finished the dome in only sixteen years, which was shockingly fast back in his time.

Always known as a secretive person, Brunelleschi didn’t leave a single building plan, drawing, or even a letter behind on how he managed to come up with such an amazing design. For years, the structure was a huge mystery about how the dome was built.

8 . Traveling itself is an experience hard to be described in words.     1     Especially the solo (独自) traveling experience is so transforming that it lives with you forever. Here I am sharing some lessons.

    2     Thinking how I would manage my entire day among strangers on campus, I pretended to be sick. Then I had the same feeling when I was planning to travel alone. Exploring a city on my own was a big fear for me but I successfully managed it all and now, I seek out new opportunities and experiences. I love to push myself.    3    

Having grown up and lived all my life in a single place, I had a small set of friends since my school days which continued till my college days.    4     I met a few very interesting people with whom I could feel an instant connect and got some new friends for life.

I totally agree that traveling with family and friends is fun and enjoying. But traveling alone is satisfying too. It’s among those few things that you do for yourself and nobody else.    5     During my solo travels I have explored my inner self and have expanded my boundaries which people around me have acknowledged at times.

9 . These science-themed field trips will offer you fantastic experiences.

Explore London’s notable sites of scientific interest along the River Thames, starting at Kew Bridge and walking to the Thames Barrier during the day with talks in the evening with some professors.

Visit the London Wetland Centre, Kew Gardens, Battersea Power Station, and the Greenwich Observatory. You will never be far from the river as you experience a wide range of topics including wildlife, medicine, power generation, engineering, physics and astronomy.

Discover Edinburgh and Glasgow’s most famous scientific thinkers, and learn how their ideas supported our emerging understanding of the world from the 16th century onwards.

Enjoy expert talks and explore key sites from the Scottish Enlightenment (启蒙). Learn about the wide cast of advocates and hear from guest speakers, take part in walking seminars (研讨会) and enjoy several museum trips, as well as visits to two industrial wonders, the Falkirk Wheel and the Whitelee Windfarm.

Involve yourself in the early human periods the Bronze and Iron Ages. A gentle walking tour that explores the pre-historic origins and evidence across Wiltshire and Dorset.

Visit several National Trust, English Heritage and UNESCO listed sites including Stonehenge and Maiden Castle and hear talks from the directors of the Wiltshire and Salisbury museums.

Welcome to Shangri-La (香格里拉) . Although located in Yunnan, it has many old    1    (village) with a unique countryside life. The     2    (beauty) city was formerly called Zhongdian that     3    (burn) by a big fire on January 11, 2014, but it has been rebuilt quickly. It’s nice    4    (see) the locals dancing every night on the main square. Visitors can involve themselves in     5    (dance). Guests can also explore its area nearby either on foot    6    by bike. A popular place is China’s first national park, Pudacuo,    7    is home to the lakes of Napa and Shudu. Maybe you can even meet with the golden Yunnan monkeys in one of    8    villages!    9    (clear), the winter is pretty cold in Shangri-La, but for those who are not afraid    10    the cold temperature, to see the snow here is very attractive!